City comparison
Charlotte, NC vs Lansing, MI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Charlotte, NC are 2.5% higher than in Lansing, MI. Someone earning $100,000 in Lansing, MI would need about $102,500 in Charlotte, NC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,538 a month in Charlotte, NC versus $1,012 in Lansing, MI. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Charlotte, NC and 16% in Lansing, MI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $518 a year higher in Lansing, MI than in Charlotte, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +7.9% moving from Charlotte, NC to Lansing, MI ($108,810 → $117,402), while prices change by −2.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +10.6% in real buying power.
- Charlotte, NC: price level 97.3 (cheaper)
- Lansing, MI: price level 95.0 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Charlotte, NC | Lansing, MI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.3 | 95.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,579 in Lansing | $102,481 in Charlotte |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,538/mo | $1,012/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $75,181 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $3,999 (MI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,990 | $52,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI |
Rent areas: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Lansing-East Lansing, MI MSA. Metro areas: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC and Lansing-East Lansing, MI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Charlotte | Lansing |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 97.6 | 83.5 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 93.7 |
| Utilities | 89.2 | 95.5 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 97.3 | 95.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Charlotte, NC → Lansing, MI
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.5%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$518/yr.
77 Strong offer
Lansing, MI → Charlotte, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.4%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$518/yr.
61 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Charlotte, NC is in the Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC pay area; Lansing, MI is in Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI. The last column shows what a transfer from Charlotte, NC to Lansing, MI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Charlotte, NC | Lansing, MI | Real change, Charlotte → Lansing |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,098 | $68,081 | +10.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,343 | $82,372 | +10.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,503 | $98,729 | +10.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,810 | $117,402 | +10.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,581 | $138,734 | +10.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Charlotte, NC | Lansing, MI | Lansing pay in Charlotte dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,680 | $72,930 | $74,740 (+27.4%) |
| Software Developers | $135,920 | $97,120 | $99,530 (−26.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $92,910 | $79,210 | $81,175 (−12.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $90,620 | $84,320 | $86,412 (−4.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.